Friday, December 9, 2016

I am feeling it’s that time again. Yes, new music time. It’s been a while since I have highlighted a new group I am in love with and I thought, hmmm should I share a band I am semi in love with? Sure, go ahead, it’s a cool band. Two fellow North Americans (Canadians) Ethan Kath and Alice Glass, redefining electronic music with the almost seemingly exclusive use of game sounds for their first album.

The band is called Crystal Castles and they seem to on the rise and if you haven’t heard of them before, it’s about time you did. According to the Wiki in the sky, Crystal Castles musical style has been described as “ferocious, asphyxiating sheets of warped two-dimensional Gameboy glitches and bruising drum bombast that pierces your skull with their sheer shrill force, burrowing deep into the brain like a fever.

The reason I am featuring the band today is because of this free remix which has been released with the lead singer of The Cure, Robert Smith. Come on, everyone remembers The Cure right? Please say yes. Well, if you know who Robert is or not, I think you will enjoy this track.

I have posted about Carl Sagan a few times here on G Living. I never seem to get tired of looking back at his life and the knowledge he left behind. He seemed to have instinctively known the way to excite the next generation in science, exploration and knowledge, is to light up their imaginations with visuals and dramatic stories. He did just that with his Cosmos Tv series. Before CGI, before Star Wars and Battle Star Galactica, Carl created a TV series, which took us into space, not to kill fictional Klingons, but to learn about the actual universe we live within.

Yes, the graphics are a bit dated, it was filmed in the late 70’s but it still blows me away. Watch the entire series on Hulu.com for free. Posted below is the first show in the series. Open your mind and enjoy.

Sometimes I stumble onto new music or visual which just move me. I don’t have any insightful or witty thing to say about them, they just spark something within me and before I know it, I am abusing my position here at G Living to pass that exciting something on to you. That is exactly what these two videos by Eskmo have just done to me. Two seconds ago, I had never heard of Eskmo, two seconds ago, this was just another day. Now… mmm

“For his new album entitled “ESKMO” (Ninja Tune), Brendan has abandoned the strictures of making tracks for the dance floor and the strictures of the 12” single format, and followed his visionary muse. “Before Warp and Planet Mu I kind of fell into the game of making tracks to get released on smaller dance labels, having to cater to ‘dance’ formulas,” he explains. “Over this past couple of years, I feel I’ve let go of that, and just writing the songs I want to write. I got back to what excited me about making electronic music when I started out, creating these little universes with sound and writing songs.”

The album was, he says, written over a six month stretch “in the middle of a whole bunch of personal relationship-type stuff, a lot of deep life-experiences happening that helped the music just bleed out of me. I just poured all those feelings into the music, it’s very cathartic. This is the first full body of work where I’m singing all over it, and allowing myself to get over that furlough of expression has been really liberating.” He goes on to say “Just like anything, I’m sure some people will connect and some won’t at all, but that’s not what this is about for me. Sound has always been a grounding purpose in my life. If you don’t dive into yourself as deep as you can, then what are you doing it for?“

The first release on the label following Ninja Tune’s 20th Anniversary box set signals a brave new chapter for this artist, and for electronica itself. Dreamy, haunting, full of ghostly funk and inventive sonics, Eskmo serves up electronica with a most human heart.” – Ninja Tune

Possibly an interesting documentary by our friends over at Café Gratitude. I have to be honest, I say possibly, because I haven’t seen it yet. I have only seen the trailer but the trailer alone made me want to post about it. I love when people turn their lives around and find happiness on the other side. Congratulations to Cary, Ryland, Conor and Gregg for bringing May I be Frank to life.

New York Times: “May I Be Frank,” by Cary Mosier, Ryland Engelhart, Conor Gaffney and Gregg Marks, at S.F. DocFest. This film came about by accident: when Frank Ferrante, a depressed and overweight New Yorker, ate at Café Gratitude, a feel-good vegan and raw food restaurant, he did not imagine the effect that meal would have on his life. But after Mr. Ferrante, a divorced drug addict with hepatitis C, declared to three young male managers at the restaurant that he wanted to fall in love again, they set out to change his life and took a camera along.

Over the course of 42 days, the Café Gratitude workers put Mr. Ferrante through a regimen of wheat grass, colonics and touchy-feely advice. The New Age jargon may put off some viewers, but Mr. Ferrante proves to be a compelling on-screen presence: at once honest and manipulative, hopeful and frustrating.

Like any well behaved Flesh Monkie I follow my masters orders and when Master Steve Jobs told me to go out and buy his latest gadget, I didn’t ask why I just did it. I promptly strapped on my latex (nature) pants, pulled on hangman’s black latex hoody, and slid my feet into my favorite 6 inch faux leather KIZZ Boots. Okay, I am sorry that last part isn’t true. I don’t have faux leather KIZZ Boots. Now you know what to get me for xmas, just saying. Alright back to my story. After getting dressed I ran out the door, jumped onto my electric bike and headed to the nearest (only) Apple store to get my very own iPad. I am happy to report, it’s been true love ever since.

Yes, I have an iPad and I love it. But the ipad in itself isn’t really something to fall in love with. Yes, it’s slick, well made, cool to the touch, nice to look at and comes with some great basic apps. But to really fall in love with the iPad, you need to get busy adding some serious “G” digital stuff. What is “G” digital stuff? I am glad you asked. “G” digital stuff is defined as anything you can load on to your iPad which inspires you be “G’er”. You know…. eat greener, dwell in a cave, stop buying printed things, eating more greens, never leave your home, consume more G Living post, and of course digging up your yard and planting a espresso powered veggie garden. Your basic “G” lifestyle stuff.

To get you started on your own love affair with your new ipad (I know you have one, admit it), here are a few digital “G” finds you might want to tryout

For today lets start with Recipe eBooks and Apps.

The Photo Cookbook is an app taking the cookbook to a whole new level. This is my favorite food app so far, but sorry to say it has a limited Veggie recipe selection right now. Lets hope that changes as they new recipes. The Photo Cookbook is like a private cooking course in your own kitchen with an experienced cook, who clarifies the preparation. Beautiful photography, which is displayed in high resolution especially on your iPad, illustrates every step.

I am in the process of deciding on the look and feel of a documentary I am making. I have been spending countless hours researching and watching anything that might inspire me. Anything that might help me create a stunning dramatic film. Well to my surprise, I just stumbled upon something pretty awesome, which also just happens to be from an organic fashion brand. (something I can post on G Living YEAH!) A short film by Fin Oslo called FIN Feline. Beautiful dramatic visuals of a model, a cat, a horse and some water. Oh and yes organic clothing.

Is the fashion line a must have? I don’t know yet, but the video stopped me in my tracks and definitely makes me want to know more. How about you? What do you think? Aria said… too slow.

Here is a nice way to start off my week. Lykke Li, that seemingly odd, sexy, foreign, never boring and can’t get enough of music artist, has just released two new singles, Get Some and Paris Blue. Most of you will know Lykke Li from the song Possibility, which was in the Twilight Saga, New Moon Movie. I first discovered these new little treasures on itunes for $1.99, which is a bargain, but then almost instantly to my surprise, Lykke emailed me to let me know I could have them for free. We are close like that, she knows I am always looking for a new fix. Well, that is really a half truth. She knows me and the other 100,000 or so, Lykke Li fan on her email list are just itching for a little more.

On her site lykkelie.com, you can download both songs. Yes, there is the catch, she wants yours soul, better known as your email address. You see, she is going on tour, and she needs to fill those seat with your warm bodies. I guess she thought giving away a song called Get Some, might be a good way to entice you to, well get some. It worked I am diving in. Oh yeah, I am going to go Get Some, if there is some still to get! At times like this, I wish I pursued directing music documentaries… oh well, back to writing about my garden. Oh yeah, I made the right career choice, sure I did! :)

A few weeks ago I posted about a new documentary coming out called the Influencers. Well, the producers have decided to release the film online, which means, lucky you can just click play above for some instant gratification. And I have to warn you. It’s good.. inspiring and yes a must see if you my friend are thinking of driving your stake in the ground and transforming yourself into a “G” Influencer! After watching the film, checkout their awesome site: influencersfilm.com

Here is part of my previous post just to bring you up to speed:This trailer for the documentary Influencers caught my eye this morning and sent my brain racing. Why you ask? Well, to be frank, I am in the middle of re-thinking G Living in the Post Green Special Status World. Yes, green as a special issue is dead in my opinion. I still believe the world will keep moving towards a “G” lifestyle, but the original movements concept of just adding the word Green, or Organic to your products name or onto your website some how made it exciting… is oh so dead my friends. Dead Dead Dead! Don’t be grim, that is a good thing. It had to happen. You are ask why again aren’t you? Because it’s been over used, over hyped and under delivered. Yelling global warming from the roof tops and then not demanding real change is an issue.

Has the world been dropped on it’s collective head? I mean every time I open a magazine, watch a tv show, listen to a song or go out to see a flick, there are people giving me the sexy eyes while sucking on a death stick. Okay, I don’t see the sexy eyes in songs, but its in the lyrics non stop. What gives? I thought the idea of cigs equals sexy died back in the early 90’s. Is it cool all over again to destroy your face, voice, stink and oh yeah kill yourself in a not so pretty way? The world really does have a short memory. What do you think?

What got me going today is this video (sex selling brand ad) featuring the drug addicted actress Lindsay Lohan sucking down cig after cig in her chain smoking way. All while rolling around in bed with not one but two other waifs models all puffing away. If that wasn’t bad enough, they also seem to be use the smoke as some kind of sex toy… cough cough.. vomit… is what went through my head. Not oh yeah.. sexy.

What I did like about the video was the shooting, lighting, the music and yes bodies on top of bodies.. but come on… stop making me gag on all the cigs, PLEASE!

Speak up.. what gives, are all the under 30 pretty people really into smoking?

This trailer for the documentary Influencers caught my eye this morning and sent my brain racing. Why you ask? Well, to be frank, I am in the middle of re-thinking G Living in the Post Green Special Status World. Yes, green as a special issue is dead in my opinion. I still believe the world will keep moving towards a “G” lifestyle, but the original movements concept of just adding the word Green, or Organic to your products name or onto your website some how made it exciting… is oh so dead my friends. Dead Dead Dead! Don’t be grim, that is a good thing. It had to happen. You are ask why again aren’t you? Because it’s been over used, over hyped and under delivered. Yelling global warming from the roof tops and then not demanding real change is an issue.

Yes, labeling everything green and allowing anyone with a heart beat to just claim to be some kind of green expert and oh the practice of over hyping everything as the next best thing since who knows what, is dull and very draining. Also, what about “green” product concepts which never make it to market or way under deliver? Yeah, kills the “I am so excited” feelings about going green. My favorite is hyping companies as “Fashion Brands” when in reality, they are no more than a couple of people who happen to print some eco slogans and designs on to pre-made organic T-Shirts. Not exactly high fashion or any different than the 100,000 other T-Shirt printers out there. They just happen to be using “Green” keywords.

The “Green” Movement as it was launched is Oh So DEAD, DEAD, DEAD, Don’t be grim, thats a good thing

I think I see the green movement different than most. I have from the beginning of this wave. I have always thought, generically labeling everything “Green”, “Eco” and so on was a bad way to go. By painting everything with the same label, guaranties nothing will stand out. It’s like the PC market vs Apple. If you have a PC, who cares what brand it is. Everyone assumes its a cheaply made computer with little thought put into the design or the materials used to build it. But Apple computer stayed away from that crowd and built a completely different type of product. In the end everyone, even PC people now know, Apple cares about the design, the experience and the materials used to create the products. Apple products are not PC’s. Everyone knows the difference, if they have used one or not. Even down to the ads… Apple stood alone and stayed unique. And now, Apple, not PC maker Number 1, or PC Maker Number 2 and so on, stands alone influencing how the entire world feels about computers, phones, music and anything with a chip in it.

This is what I hope G Living will achieve in the long run. Become a brand which means so much more than just “Green”. A brand people will instantly get and just naturally want to integrate into their lives. Someday everyone will want to live a little “G”! Right? Smile and just shake your head. And now go out there and be a “G” influencer yourself. Go set the trends that will pull in the 6 billion non “G” living knuckle dragging Flesh Monkies out there. We can only do this together… believe me, alone, we don’t stand a chance.

This documentary follows not the Trend Setting Green Brands but all the trendsetters, from music, fashion, politics and design. Checkout their official facebook page.

I never post lyrics from a songs, but this morning I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the realization that the world at large hasn’t got a clue. We go on with our lives, thinking everything will stay the same, when in fact there is no constant, everything is forever changing. Sometimes for the betterment of some, but almost always to the degeneration of most. This is especially true for the environment and non-humans among us. I think Bob Dylan’s said it best in his song “The Times They Are A-Changin”.

Oh when oh when will the winds of change finally sweep in the end of pain. Oh when oh when will humans put down their chains and pick up their brains. Oh when oh when, will G Living be more than just a passing phase. Oh when oh when will our children learn compassion and love are more than lyrics on a page.

The video below is of Sinead O’Connor singing Bob Dylans song on the Late Late show in Ireland earlier this year. The first thing you will notice, is that she is almost un-reconizable. She has filled out just a bit, looking very Irish I must say and the baldness is a thing of the past. Maybe Britney Spears ruined it for her. With that said, I love Sinead and if you don’t have her Throw Down Your Arms album, go get it right now. It is a beautiful album.

On the show she also talks about her life long depression, her children and her issues with the Catholic Church. You know, their policy of protecting child molesting catholic priest. Come on Sinead, whats wrong with that?

What will become of this world if us humans can’t stop the endless consuming of unsustainable goods? An insight into the human machine and it’s consumption addiction. ‘If it keeps up, man will atrophy all his limbs but the push-button finger.’ – Frank Lloyd Wright Continue Reading / Additional Photos / Videos